Sedum plant named ‘Maestro’

ABSTRACT

Sedum  ‘Maestro’ is a new and distinct cultivar of Stonecrop having bluish-green leaves and stems developing to wine red, with deep pinkish flowers valuable as a landscaping specimen, potted plant, or cut flower.

Botanical classification: Sedum (Boreau) hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Maestro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar ofStonecrop, botanically known as Sedum hybrid, and hereinafter referredto as the cultivar ‘Maestro’ or the “Plant”. The new Plant wasdiscovered in 2002 and developed by the inventor, Gary M. Trucks, in theproduction fields of a nursery in Benton Harbor, Mich. USA, as anon-induced sport of Sedum ‘Matrona’ (not patented). The plant has beenasexually propagated by stem cuttings at the same nursery, andsubsequent plants are identical to the original selection.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PLANT

Sedum ‘Maestro’ is unique from all other sedums known to the inventor.Other dark leaf forms of Sedum, but no other form has the same bluishleaves developing purplish cast and stems, erect habit and dark pinkflowers. ‘Maestro’ is not as dark purple as Sedum ‘Black Jack’ U.S.Plant Pat. No. 16,736, but is darker purple and more bluish than‘Matrona’ (not patented). The plant is more upright and more bluishcolored than Sedum ‘Postman's Pride’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,831. ThePlant has not been observed in all possible environments. The phenotypemay vary slightly with variations in growing conditions such as lightintensity and day length, temperature, water availability, and nutrientavailability, without, however any variance in genotype. The followingare traits of Sedum ‘Maestro’ that distinguish it from all other sedum:

-   -   1. Stiff, upright, bluish-green colored glaucous stems        developing to a deep wine color.    -   2. Large, fleshy, thick, bluish green foliage developing to a        deep wine colored tinting.    -   3. Deep pink buds with wine-colored tinting after opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the unique characteristicsand overall appearance of the new cultivar ‘Maestro’. The photographswere taken in lightly overcast mid morning light. Colors are as accurateas reasonably possible with color reproductions. Variations in lightsource, quality and direction may cause the appearance of differentcolors.

FIG. 1—Shows the plant with habit while in bud and flower.

FIG. 2 —Shows the plant in full flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description uses color references according to the 2001edition of “The Royal Horticultural Colour Chart”, except where generaldictionary terms are used. The plant described is grown in awell-drained, loamy sand soil, full-sun trail gardens of a nursery inBenton Harbor, Mich. United States of America, with supplementalfertilization and irrigation. Plants used in this observation have beenin the ground two years from cuttings.

-   Botanical classification: Family — Crassulaccae, Sedum (Boreau)    hybrid ‘Maestro’.-   Parentage: Sedum ‘Matrona’ (not patented) uninduced sport.-   Propagation: Asexual by cuttings; approximately 14 to 18 days to    initiate roots.-   Growth rate: Moderate to fast;-   Finishing time: About three months from cuttings to fill a two-liter    container.-   Root description: Tuberous, coarse.-   Plant habit and form: Erect stems 1.5 to 2.0 cm in diameter,    producing plants between 50 cm and 65 cm tall, 55 cm to 60 cm wide,    with alternate leaves.-   Internode length: About 2 cm in lower section of the stems and 3 to    4 cm in upper section. Leaves: Glabrous and glaucous on both    surfaces; without petioles; broad oval with obtuse apex and rounded    based; 9 to 11 cm long by 7.5 to 8.5 cm wide and about 4 mm thick,    decreasing in size on the stem with last leaves before the panicle    about 4.5 cm long 2.5 cm wide; with few small teeth;-   Leaf color shortly after emerging: RHS 143B on both surfaces.-   Leaf color four weeks prior to flowering: Top surface more gray than    RHS 122B and more blue than RHS 189B; lower surface closest to RHS    133B.-   Leaf color at flowering: Top surface RHS N138A stippled with RHS    187A; lower surface closest to RHS 191A;-   Petiole: Leaves sessile;-   Venation: One large central, same color and tinting as nearby tissue    on the lower surface and stippled more heavily than surrounding leaf    with RHS 187A on the upper surface; Stem: round, smooth, glaucous,    stiff, upright; 10 to 12 mm wide and 26 to 32 cm tall from ground to    branching of peduncle; color at flowering between RHS 187B and RHS    187C with a glaucous coating color four weeks prior to flowering RHS    186D; shortly after elongation RHS.-   Peduncle: Smooth, glaucous; 9 to 10 cm long and about 10 mm in    diameter near base; forming heavily branched umbel 16 to 20 cm    across on top; about RHS N 138B with stippling of RHS 183C and    glaucous bloom.-   Pedicel: Smooth, glaucous; 2 to 4 mm long, about one mm in diameter,    RHS N 138B with stippling of RHS 183C and glaucous bloom;-   Buds: 6 mm long, 3 mm wide, acute apex RHS 196D stippled with RHS    64A with more concentrated stippling toward apex to nearly solid RHS    64A; Flowers in compact compound corymb; starting in late August and    lasting for four weeks through September, approximately 1000 to 1200    per stem; about 10 cm in diameter and 5 cm deep.-   Fragrance, None detected;-   Petals: Five, with acute apex; 5 mm long, 3 mm wide, RHS 61A to 61B    at apex and RHS 69A at base.-   Sepals: Five, about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide, with acute apex and;    closest to RHS N138A with a light tinting of RHS 187 B;-   Style: Five 4 mm long, swollen in center to nearly 2 mm, proximal    closest to RHS 62C, distal between RHS 61A to 61B;-   Androecium Ten stamens, Filaments 3 to 4 mm long. RHS N155B; Anthers    oblong, less than one mm in the longer dimension, darker than RHS    N187 A prior to dehiscing,-   Pollen: Minute; closest to RHS 14B;-   Fruit: Minute, about 1 mm in diameter, closest to RHS 200A.

The Plant performs best with light to no fertilization in soils withgood drainage, but the plant is resistant to drought and heat, as wellas cold tolerance to at least USDA Zone 3. The plant is much less proneto leaf burn or scorch that tends to affect ‘Black Jack’, but is notknown to be resistant to any pests or diseases that commonly affectSedum.

1. I claim the new and distinct variety of Stonecrop plant, Sedum‘Maestro’, essentially as herein described and illustrated, havingdistinguishing characteristics of bluish-green leaves and stemsdeveloping to wine red, with deep pinkish flowers valuable as alandscaping specimen, potted plant, or cut flower.